The blue kind
Kathryn Born
The blue kind
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Kathryn Born
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
What if in a city where nobody ever dies, everyone escapes reality with a powerful new drug? Alison has lived forever, but now she faces a choice that could change everything—or destroy her world. Can she survive in a place where the line between friend and foe blurs under the haze of addiction?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in a dystopian future, this middle-grade novel explores themes of drug addiction and immortality through the story of Alison, who navigates a dangerous world shaped by substance abuse and conflict. The book contains mature themes related to drug use and its consequences, making it suitable for older middle-grade readers (ages 9-12) who can handle complex topics with guidance. Parents should be aware of the depiction of drug culture and dystopian violence.
Why we rated The blue kind 9IE
The blue kind is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 191 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The blue kind works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The blue kind as 9IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Drug Use, Addiction, Dystopian Violence.
Thematically, The blue kind explores drug addiction, dystopia, coming of age, and fantasy world-building — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about drug addiction, dystopia, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 9-12 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9IE — Intense — EmotionalHeavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.
Content Flags
Was our "Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781609090678
- Pages
- 191
- Publisher
- Cornell University Press
- Published
- 2012
- Type
- Fiction